Mobile Broadband - Why Is My GPRS Data Slow?

[g3sna]

Hi,

I have been trying to use my USB stick (K3565) to download from the web on my Acer netbook. I am getting a strong GPRS signal (5 bars) but I can only download at a maximum of 32K bytes/sec. My post code is OL3 7EJ. I just took a ride in my car to an adjoining cell area where UTMS capability is available (OL4 4HA) and was able to download at 388K bytes/sec - around 3.1M bits/sec - using the same equipment. I would expect the GPRS datarate to be better than the 256K bits/sec. Am I correct? Can you check to see if there is a fault with the cell covering my area?

Many thanks,

Stuart

[SurfSilver]

Hi,

I have been trying to use my USB stick (K3565) to download from the web on my Acer netbook. I am getting a strong GPRS signal (5 bars) but I can only download at a maximum of 32K bytes/sec. My post code is OL3 7EJ. I just took a ride in my car to an adjoining cell area where UTMS capability is available (OL4 4HA) and was able to download at 388K bytes/sec - around 3.1M bits/sec - using the same equipment. I would expect the GPRS datarate to be better than the 256K bits/sec. Am I correct? Can you check to see if there is a fault with the cell covering my area?

Many thanks,

Stuart

Not sure if I'm missing something here, but it seems to me that a GPRS download speed of 256kbs = 32kBps is phenomenally good. I've just emerged from three weeks without 3G coverage in my locality (base station power problem somewhat beyond Vodafone's control), and while making do on GPRS the typical download speeds ranged up to 48kbps = 6kBps.

I don't know anything about the K3565, but when my E172 connects to GPRS the little pop-up balloon advertises a nominal connection speed of 56Kbps.

[g3sna]

Thanks for the reply SurfSilver. Now you mention it I have seen that bubble! Perhaps my expectations are too great. The village I live in is the most populated and economically active in this part of NE Manchester and is well served by 3 whose 3G network I use the most and others. I just cannot believe that Vodafone seem to have completely ignored it and put their 3G capability in nearly all of the adjoining areas. I guess I just forgot what primitive 2G life was like

Cheers,

Stuart

[Retired-BenJ]

Hi G3SNA.

That's phenomenally fast data speed for GPRS usually it’s around 60kps.

We are deploying EDGE, this may account for the speed up

Thanks
BenJ_Vodafone
eForum Team